Package having a pour spout

ABSTRACT

A package having a closure device to define a pour spout is provided. Various zipper, package and/or closure features, constructs, structures and forming methods are provided to reduce or eliminate the air gap that can be present at or proximate the top seal of “pillow” or like packages.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/639,967, filed Mar. 5, 2015, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/948,497, filed Mar. 5, 2014; with each of the identified applications and disclosure fully incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to flexible packaging and, more particularly, to packages, and methods for forming and using packages, having a pour spout (e.g., side pour spout).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Flexible packages are used for containing a wide variety of items, both solid and liquid, such as beverages, lawn products and food products. More and more packages, including flexible packages, are being used for the containment and or dispensing of food, liquids or medical products.

The current methods of making and using a pillow or side gusseted package, with a fin or lap seal, along with a transversely applied single strip of closure (which after the package is formed, closes upon itself) is not optimal. When the package is formed so the single strip of transverse closure wraps around the side edge of the package, gusseted or not, it is done in an attempt to have the ends of a closure device terminate at the same location on the front panel as on the back panel, so they are aligned with each other. The closure device is placed under the top seal of the package, so when the package is opened by the consumer, the top seal portion above the closure is removed and the product can be dispensed past the closure. The closure can be made so it goes only a portion of the way across the top of the package, or all the way across the package, or any distance between.

Because of the variations in the manufacturing process of applying the closure to the packaging material, and then forming the package, the ends of the closure often fail to line up with each other. Additionally, the closure must be placed a distance below the top seal, so that the top seal can be removed and the closure will still open properly for the consumer. This leads to the current problem where packages leak when the top seal or portion of the top seal is removed. The air and product can leak out of the package at the ends of the closure, between the locking members of the closure and remaining top seal of the package.

There have been attempts to solve this problem by adding a seal perpendicular to the top seal that runs from the top seal down past the locking members of the closure, and placed just past the ends of the closure. This solution, however, does not fully resolve the leaking issue because it can only be placed relatively close to the ends of the closure, which still leaves room for air and product to leak past the ends. Again, the ends of the closure often do not align with themselves and the closure can still leak, even if the perpendicular seal is up tight against the longest portion of closure. Additionally, placing this seal on the package requires the packager to modify their packaging machine to add this seal. Most packagers do not wish to modify their machines because it adds cost and time to their process, and limits their versatility on which machine they can run specific products on.

SUMMARY

The present invention addresses certain problems facing flexible packages and the packaging industry. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a flexible package having closers, package and/or closure features, constructs, structures and forming methods to provide a package where the closure device is placed at an angle in one or more of the corners of a package, which generally does not have a side seal on the side of the package.

In other embodiments of the invention, the issues with conventional methods can be solved by applying a small amount of cohesive or adhesive material to the package material located at the ends of the closure. The cohesive material is typically a food-grade glue-like substance that will stick to the material to which it is initially applied. However, the substance will not stick to the other portions of material after the initial application when the roll of material is wrapped up. Further, the opposing cohesives or adhesives will bond to themselves when pressed together, forming a seal therebetween. The cohesive or adhesive will mate together and cause a seal at the ends of the closure, eliminating the otherwise existing air gap when the consumer opens the package. The material is applied in an amount and at a location that will allow for and permit any misalignment of the closure ends, and close off the leaking areas from the locking members of the closure, at their ends, up to the top seal.

The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional film material having a zipper applied thereto.

FIGS. 2-3 are front views of a conventional package having an air gap at ends of the zipper.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the package of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a film material having a closure device applied thereto, with gap elimination materials, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an opened package having a closure device applied thereto, and gap elimination materials applied at ends of the closure device, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the package of FIG. 6, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of an unopened package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the package of FIG. 8, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view of an opened package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, with a top portion of the package removed, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the package of FIG. 10, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an opened package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, with a top portion of the package removed, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a front view of an unopened side gusseted package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a front view of an opened side gusseted package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, with a top portion of the package removed, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the package of FIG. 13, along line FIG. 15, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a front view of an opened package having an angled closure device to eliminate air gaps, with an extending lip portion, and a top portion of the package removed, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a closure zipper device.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a closure zipper device having a slot and/or a notch defined therein, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a plan view of a closure zipper device having a slot and/or a notch defined therein, wherein the closure zipper device is pivoted or angled about the slot and/or notch, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular example embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For illustrative purposes, cross-hatching, dashing or shading in the figures is provided to demonstrate sealed portions and/or integrated regions or devices for the package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to example embodiments thereof. However, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, embodiment, environment, applications or particular implementations described in these embodiments. Therefore, description of these embodiments is only for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention. It should be appreciated that, in the following embodiments and the attached drawings, elements unrelated to the present invention are omitted from depiction; and dimensional relationships among individual elements in the attached drawings are illustrated only for ease of understanding, but not to limit the actual scale.

References to “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back” and the like are for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the scope of the disclosed invention. For instance, placing a closure device on the “front” panel could be just as easily employed in the back or side portions of the package.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-4, a package 10 utilizing conventional closure devices 12 and methods (e.g., zipper, Velcro®, press-to-close, etc.) is shown. When the package is formed so the single strip of transverse closure 12 wraps around—on the inside wall(s) of the package—the side edge 10 a of the package 10, gusseted or not, it is done in an attempt to have the ends of the closure terminate at the same location on the front panel portion 11 as on the back panel portion 13, so they are aligned with each other. The closure 12 is placed under the top seal 14 of the package, so when the package is opened by the consumer, the top seal portion (or a portion thereof) above the closure 12 is removed and the product can be dispensed past the closure 12.

Because of the variations in the manufacturing process in applying the closure 12 to the packaging material, and then forming the package, the ends of the closure 12 often do not line up with each other. Additionally, the closure 12 must be placed a distance below the top seal 14, so the top seal 14 can be removed and the closure 12 will still open properly for the consumer. This leads to the current problem of leaking packages once the top seal 14, or a portion of the top seal, is removed. Air and products can leak out of the package at an air gap AG, at the ends of the closure, between the locking members of the closure 12 and the remaining top seal 14 of the package 10.

FIGS. 5-19 show packages 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, where the undesirable air gap issue of conventional packages is solved. The packages 100 can include the front panel portion 11, the back panel portion 13, and the side fold or edge 10 a. The panel portions can be formed from a single web material, and include a lap or fin seal 15, and one or more gusseted panels in certain embodiments.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, embodiments of the package 100 can solve this air gap problem by providing a cohesive, an adhesive, or like material or substance during the formation process. The package 100 can include a small amount of material 120 applied to the package material located at the ends of the closure 12 (FIG. 5). In certain embodiments, the material 120 can be a food-grade, glue-like substance that will stick to the material it is initially applied to. However, the substance will not stick to the other portions of material or panel portions after the initial application when the roll of material or film is wrapped up to form the package 100. Further, the material 120 can bond to the opposing material 120 at the other end of the closure 12 when pressed together, forming a seal therebetween. The material 120 will mate together and cause a seal at the ends of the closure 12, eliminating the otherwise present air gap AG when the consumer opens the package 100. The material 120 is applied in an amount and at a location that will allow for any misalignment of the closure ends, and close off the leaking areas from the locking members of the closure, at their ends, up to the top seal. The closure can be made so it goes only a portion of the way across the top of the package, or all the way across the package, or any distance between.

In other embodiments, the material 120 can be applied to or otherwise included with one or both of the flanges 12 a, 12 b of the closure device 12, including a portion or the entire length of the flanges. In addition, a tacky, clingy or high energy film or substance can be applied as the material 120 to one or more portions of the closure device 12. This type of film or substance causes the portion of the device 12, or another part of the package where it is applied, to cling to objects or materials it comes into contact with.

Referring generally to the embodiments of FIGS. 8-19, the package 100 can include a zipper or like closure device 12 provided at an angle in the corner of the package 100—e.g., approximately where the centerline of the length of the closure 12 is located on the center of the folded material edge 10 a.

A single piece of zipper 12 capable of being folded upon itself to interlock is cut to the desired length. That piece of zipper 12 can include a notch 12 n on the top flange 12 a, and a slit 12 s on the bottom flange 12 b in alignment with the notch, as shown in FIGS. 17-19. The zipper is then manipulated by bending both outside ends of the zipper 12 upward until the desired angle is achieved. The notch and slit 12 n, 12 s, or two notches or two slits (e.g., one or more notches/slits), allow the zipper 12 to be easily formed. The zipper 12 is then placed on the web of material (e.g., inside of panels 11, 13, and across edge 10 a) that will be used to make the package 100, and is heat sealed to the packaging material while it is in this chevron or generally v-shaped configuration. The zipper 12 is placed on the packaging material so the centerline of the notched and/or slit portion (e.g., the centerline of the length of zipper) is provided where the folded side edge 10 a of the package will be when it is later formed. Because of this application in a generally chevron shape, on a generally transverse orientation to the edges of the film, the zipper 12 is folded around the fold or edge 10 a and angled up toward the top seal 14 (angling down from the seal 14 toward the fold or edge 10 a) during package formation.

The zipper 12 is also positioned such that the top corners of the flanges (e.g., 12 a) of the zipper, which are used to seal the zipper 12 to the film, are sealed into the top seal 14 of the package 100. This can be done on either a “pillow” package (FIGS. 5-12) or a side gusseted package (FIGS. 13-15). The side gusseted package of FIGS. 13-15 can include side gusset or panel portions 18.

The locking members 12 c of the closure device 12 can be located just into the bottom portion of the top seal 14 or bumped up against the bottom portion of the top seal 14. This allows the package 100 to be opened, wherein no gap is left for product to get around the ends of the zipper 12 and out of the package 100. Further, no outside air or contaminants can get in past the ends of the zipper 12 and the packaging machine does not require an additional seal bar to seal down from the top seal 14 past the ends of the zipper 12. It should be noted that the locking members 12 c of the zipper 12 can also be placed such that they are in the top seal 14 in other embodiments.

As demonstrated in FIG. 16, embodiments of the package 100 can further include a portion 30 at or proximate the angled closure 12 to define a lipped pour spout. The lip or extending portion 30 can be configured to angle back upward away from the closure 12 to provide such a spout construct. This portion 30 can be defined by scoring, cutting, or other package forming methods or techniques. As such, the lip portion 30 can be defined in both the first and second panel portions 11, 13, as well as the edge 10 a.

Having the single piece of closure device (e.g., zipper) attached to the web and folded over or wrapped around the edge of the folded package, also prevents product from escaping the package on the folded edge of the package because the zipper does not actually terminate at edge 10 a—it is instead wrapped around the folded edge 10 a, leaving no gaps. Also, because it is a single piece of zipper, it is not required to be in the closed position when applying the zipper or making the package as with a two-piece zipper. This allows the front and back panels of the package to remain separated while filling the package internal compartment or cavity with contents, and allows more room in the package for the contents or product.

The package according to the invention can including packages constructed, in whole or in part, of flexible, rigid, semi-rigid, or semi-flexible materials or panels. Briefly, the package panel portions are generally constructed of flexible sheet material such as polyethylene, polyester, metal foil, polypropylene, or polyethylenes or polypropylenes laminated with other materials such as nylon, polyester, and like films. To provide for increased barrier properties, embodiments can use composite or laminate layers of said materials and material of the like. Generally, in such composite or laminate embodiments, a material having preferred sealing characteristics can be joined, bonded or laminated to a material having a different preferred characteristic (e.g., beneficial oxygen barrier properties). Regardless, single sheets, composites/laminates, and a myriad of other materials and techniques known to one skilled in the art may be implemented based on particular usage and manufacturing needs without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention in certain embodiments permits the flexible package to be made using less expensive or cheaper materials than would otherwise be necessary.

The package 100 and its portions can be formed to provide a pillow package, stand-up pouch, pre-made pouch, bag-top, one formed and filled on a “form-fill-seal” (e.g., vertical, horizontal, etc.) machine, thermoforming machine, and other known package designs and configurations. Other known package designs and packaging techniques and features can be adapted to incorporate or form the configuration of the present invention as well.

Embodiments employing seals can utilize heat seals, adhesive bonding, and various other known sealing techniques. Further, various tearable or removable portions of seals or package portions can include notches, scoring, perforations or the like to facilitate removal.

Various figures and descriptions disclose features and accessories. However, it must be noted that these features are merely illustrative in nature and may be placed in varying locations and under varying configurations and shapes, and still be consistent with the present invention. Various regions of the package can include a handle portion, access devices (e.g., re-closeable zipper devices), and the like. In addition, the shape and configuration for the panel portions are also merely illustrative and can be altered without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Any of the panel portions, or selected regions thereof, can include various aesthetic and functional graphics, such as logos, instructions, advertising, bar codes, and the like. These graphics can run transverse, parallel, or even in a diagonal orientation to the longitudinal panel edges discussed herein.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is, therefore, desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Similarly, the above-described methods and techniques for forming the present invention are illustrative processes and are not intended to limit the methods of manufacturing/forming the present invention to those specifically defined herein. A myriad of various unspecified steps and procedures can be performed to create or form the inventive package 100. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of forming a package having air gap filling features, comprising: providing a film having a first panel portion, a second panel portion, a first side edge, and a second side edge; providing a closure device having first and second end portions and top and bottom flange portions; applying the closure device to the film, transverse to the first and second side edges of the film generally parallel to a top seal, such that a gap is defined between the closure device and the top seal, the closure device extending from the first panel portion, across the first side edge and to the second panel portion to define a side pour spout; and applying a first distinct fill material at the first end portion of the closure device such that the first distinct fill material contacts the top flange portion and the first end portion, extends across a first end portion of the gap, and contacts the top seal to close off a first leakage area; and applying a second distinct fill material, separate from the first distinct fill material, provided at the second end portion of the closure device, such that the second distinct fill material contacts the first flange portion and the second end portion, extends across a second end portion of the gap, and contacts the top seal to close off a second leakage area.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fill material is a cohesive material.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fill material is an adhesive material.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fill material is a cohesive material.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fill material is an adhesive material.
 6. The method of claim 1, further including forming a lap or fin seal.
 7. The method of claim 1, further including a tear portion provided at the top seal to enable removal of a portion of the top seal to expose the side pour spout.
 8. A method of forming a package having air gap filling features, comprising: providing a film having a first panel portion, a second panel portion, a top seal portion, a first side edge portion, and a second side edge portion; and providing a closure device having first and second opposing longitudinal flanges, first and second end portions, and wherein the first longitudinal flange includes a slit portion and the second longitudinal flange includes a first wedge-shaped notch portion generally opposite the slit portion to define a hinging region; and attaching the closure device such that each of the first and second end portions are provided at the top seal portion such that the closure device angles downward and extends from the first panel portion, across the first side edge portion and to the second panel portion to define a side pour spout, and wherein as the closure device is pivotably hinged at the hinging region, a first angled opening of the first wedge-shaped notch narrows and the slit defines an expanding second wedge-shaped notch having a second angled opening for angled placement of the closure device.
 9. The method of claim 8, further including providing at least a first side gusset portion.
 10. The method of claim 8, further including providing first and second side gusset portions.
 11. The method of claim 8, further including providing a side extending lip portion.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the side extending lip portion angles upward away from the closure device.
 13. The method of claim 8, further including providing a tear notch in the top seal portion.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the closure device is a zipper device.
 15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second end portions of the closure device are sealed into the top seal portion. 